SEV Biblia, Chapter 21:2
Y vio tambin una viuda pobrecilla, que echaba allí dos centavos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 21:2
Verse 2. A certain poor widow] A widow miserably poor; this is the proper import of penicran, and her being miserably poor heightened the merit of the action. Two mites.] Which Mark says, Mark xii. 42, make a farthing or quadrans, the fourth part of an AS, or penny, as we term it. In Plutarch's time we find the smallest piece of brass coin in use among the Romans was the quadrans, but it appears that a smaller piece of money was in circulation among the Jews in our Lord's time, called here, and in Mark, Mark xii. 42, a lepton, i.e. small, diminished, from leipo, I fail. In ancient times our penny used to be marked with a deep indented cross, dividing the piece into four equal parts, which, when broken in two, made the half-penny, and, when broken into four, made the fourthing, what we have corrupted into farthing. Probably the Roman quadrans was divided in this way for the convenience of the poor. Our term mite seems to have been taken from the animal called by that name; for as that appeared to our ancestors to be the smallest of all animals, so this being the smallest of all coins was called by its name. Junius says that mite was a small base coin among the Dutch.
Our word mite seems to be a contraction of the Latin minutum, a small thing, whence the French miete, a crumb, a very small morsel. See the note on Mark xii. 41.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 2. And he saw also a certain poor widow , etc.] Whom he took particular notice of above all the rest: the poor, and the widow, are regarded by him, and are his care; nor are their mean services, done in faith, and from a principle of love, despised by him, but preferred to the greater services of others, where faith and love are wanting: casting in thither two mites ; the value of a farthing. The Persic version renders it, two bottoms of yarn; (see Gill on Mark 12:42):
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-4 - From the offering of this poor widow, learn that what we rightly giv for the relief of the poor, and the support of God's worship, is give unto God; and our Saviour sees with pleasure whatever we have in ou hearts to give for the relief of his members, or for his service Blessed Lord! the poorest of thy servants have two mites, they have soul and a body; persuade and enable us to offer both unto thee; ho happy shall we be in thine accepting of them!
Greek Textus Receptus
ειδεν 1492 5627 V-2AAI-3S δε 1161 CONJ και 2532 CONJ τινα 5100 X-ASF χηραν 5503 N-ASF πενιχραν 3998 A-ASF βαλλουσαν 906 5723 V-PAP-ASF εκει 1563 ADV δυο 1417 A-NUI λεπτα 3016 N-APN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
2. Poor. See on Matt. v. 3.Mites. See on Mark xii. 42.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
21:2 {Poor} (penicran). A rare word from penes (penomai, to work for one's living). Latin _penuria_ and Greek peinaw, to be hungry are kin to it. Here only in the N.T. #Mr 12:42 has ptwce, a more common word from ptwssw, to be frightened, to strike and hide from fear, to be in beggary. And Luke uses this adjective also of her in verse #3.
